Press Release From Tahltan Elders
(For people interested in more background information, I would direct you to an article I wrote for the upcoming issue of Briarpatch Magazine and the unpublished article I posted to this site)
-tyler

Sit-in at Telegraph Creek to Continue

In response to a misleading press release from the Tahltan Central Council, issued on April 25, the Tahltan Elders from the sit-in at the Band office in Telegraph Creek wish to present their side of what happened at the April 23-25 Special Elders Gathering of the Tahltan Nation. 

Meeting Was Organized by Supporters of Jerry Asp
 
 The Tahltan Elders from the sit-in at Telegraph Creek attended some of the proceedings in good faith.  Two supporters of "past Chief" Jerry Asp organized the event and made great effort to involve the family of Jerry Asp.  At the same time, other elders had difficulty covering their expenses for the meeting.  
  
 The process came under further suspicion when it was learned that the Tahltan Tribal Council had applied for Treaty funding from Department of Indian Affairs to mediate the situation. It was an insult to the sit-in Elders when First Nations from the Salish Nation came in to mediate the Elders and gave long lectures of unity. Tahltan Elders stated that they would never dream of intervening in affairs within the Salish Nation. It is still unclear where the other sources of funding for the meeting came from. 

 The Elders involved in the sit-in at Telegraph Creek made their demands known. Elder Bobby Quock again made it known that Jerry Asp is no longer Chief.  Also, that the Tahltan Elders will continue to enforce the moratorium on any further resource extraction in Tahltan territory until the dispute is settled to their satisfaction.

The elder brother and lawyer of Asp took the floor to carefully lay out the real agenda of the group giving little consideration to legitimacy of the concerns.  Asp accused the Elders of hating his family and for a corrupt electoral system that excluded his family and shredded their ballots. He also asked for a BCR and support from the assembly to start a 3rd Band.  He also referred to the elders as a handful that do not speak for him. In addition, young women supporters of Asp swore at the elders and screamed at them when talks broke down early Saturday, April. 23. 

The meeting did not resolve anything in the minds of the Elders. It is clear that the indigenous elders are tired of what they consider dictatorship under Asp. The do not want anyone assuming to know what is best for them. The rift between the supporters of Asp and the indigenous Tahltan who live on the land has grown wider.

Sit-in Elders Walk Out of Meeting, Resolutions Passed After They Left

The sit-in Elders announced their departure and lack of trust for the process on April 23, 24 and 25.  The Elders walked out of the proceedings finally after great frustration on April 25.  Following their departure resolutions were passed of which the sit-in Elders were not aware. This leads to the suspicion that an agenda was afoot and it was not to bring resolution but rather to set up a situation that would pit the elders living outside of the territory against the "Keepers of the Land."  The presence of Asp's two lawyers was seen as an intimidation tactic.  However, the elders living on the land will not be intimidated, because they hold the traditional knowledge that will save the land for future generations.  

Pat Carlick and Margery Inkster both addressed the assembly in the Tahltan language. None of the Asp supporters understood and asked for interpretation. Carlick responded by saying "Now, you know how we feel when you speak to us with your million dollar words and we do not understand."  Carlick refused to translate because he said in meetings they do not explain everything to the elders, they continue and treat us as if we are stupid. 

Sit-in Elders Hold Separate, Parallel Event

The indigenous elders of the sit-in camp held a parallel event to work toward solidarity on their issues.  There were more people representing more families at the parallel event than were at the government-funded event.  The strategies from that event will be announced at an Elders meeting in Telegraph Creek on May 7.  An aboriginal woman lawyer working with the Asp camp came to the parallel event to announce her contribution of applying for funding for the gathering. We were never asked or consulted of her good intentions.

Comments

Only registered users can write comments.
Please login or register.

Powered by AkoComment 2.0!